Should You Be Excited to Go to Work in the Morning?

If you woke up with a bad case of the Mondays this morning, you might be wondering whether or not you’re in the right job.

The good news is that being totally thrilled to go to work in the morning isn’t necessarily a prerequisite for career success. In fact, it’s probably safe to safe that no one feels excited to be headed to the office every morning of their lives.

Leda Marritz of The Billfold says it comes down to the position your job has in your life.

“I think the question of whether you should like going to work derives from the fundamental tension of how your work relates to either your passion or your lifestyle (this needn’t be an either/or situation, but it often seems to play out this way),” she writes. “Some people are lucky to have a job where the can work on specific passions and be paid decently. … Other people, whose passions have no viable related careers, may have jobs that fit their skills and general interests, but are predominantly about supporting other activities or lifestyle choices. This can be great too, but does leave work feeling like, well, work and nothing else.”

Do You Know What You're Worth?

If work feels like work to you, but you’re a good fit for your job and are able to grow professionally, learn new skills, and advance up the corporate ladder, then it probably doesn’t matter if you have to heave a sigh or two on Monday morning. But if, on the other hand, you’re consumed with dread the majority of the week, it might be time to reassess your career choices.

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Jen Hubley Luckwaldt

Jen Hubley Luckwaldt writes about work-life balance, stress management, and other topics relating to what makes us happy at work. A full-time freelancer, she deals with stress by blurring the lines between life and work to the point where the two spheres are barely separate. The happiest day of her career was when scientists proved that looking at pictures of cute animals makes us more productive.